This was my second cruise to Hawaii this
year, and I was eagerly anticipating a return to one
of my favorite destinations, as well as meeting other
travel professionals from around the country for a seminar at sea.
Traveling from Cleveland, OH, I flew solo into Honolulu a day early in an
attempt to acclimate myself to the 6 hour time change (Something I would
encourage everyone to do anytime they cruise, but, in my opinion, an
absolute necessity when traveling through more than 3 time zones.) My
roommate, Pat, is a feisty lady from San Francisco, whom I had the
pleasure of meeting on another seminar at sea, and we
have become 'cruise buddies'.
Coming from the west coast, she chose to fly in the day of the cruise. I
planned to connect with her on board, as well as the other members of our
group. I stayed in Waikiki Beach, at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach and
was quite pleased. I would highly recommend this property for its
cleanliness, friendly and accommodating staff, excellent location,
affordable value, and variety of services.

Embarkation:
The hotel is only a very short cab ride away from the port (less than 5
minutes), and as cabs are metered in Honolulu, costs about $10. I arrived
at the Port of Honolulu well rested and ready for my Hawaiian Island
cruise about noon. The embarkation process was
relatively smooth and although there was a short line,
it moved quickly and was on board about 12:30 pm.

Cabins:
I was escorted to my cabin #5068 (Deck 5, outside cabin with 2
portholes, very aft). This was definitely not the cabin of my dreams, but
it was adequate. Given a choice I would not have selected this cabin, but
our group of travel professionals had booked run of the ship and were
assigned our cabins upon arrival at the port. I was to discover that some
in our group had garnered cabins even less desirable than mine.
My cruise experience has taught me that booking a guaranteed cabin
category is a good bet, but I would definitely not recommend that tact
when sailing the Norwegian Wind. This is one ship
where cabin selection is extremely important! Overall
cabin size, closet, counter and shelf space vary
greatly within each cabin category.

My cabin was a prime example of the
disparity. Cabin size was sufficient and there was one
full closet, and a 1/2 closet with 3 storage shelves
and the safe below. Limited, but ample for storing clothing for 2
women for a 10 day cruise (At least for seasoned cruisers who don't
overpack). The beds were arranged in a twin configuration, comfortable,
and high enough to slide our suitcases underneath. A
small lighted desk with one drawer and 2 small shelves
acted as our vanity. Two electrical outlets housed
there are the only receptacles in the cabin (Bringing an extension
cord is a wise move - particularly when women are traveling together).
Four very tiny drawers and a couple of open shelves
under the TV unit was the sum total of storage space.
A chair, small glass table, and ottoman completed the
furnishings of our room. A privacy drape separated our small sitting
area from the beds. A full length mirror was well positioned on the
inside of the cabin entry door.
The bathroom was small, and the shower smaller. A lightweight cloth
shower curtain was prone to cling to your body while showering (Bringing
a couple clothespins from home to clip to the bottom
of the curtain will alleviate that problem, however).
There were no shelves under the sink, and we had only
1 small towel rack, the small shelf in the corner of the
bathroom, behind the commode, was the only
place to store clean towels. There was a small
retractable clothesline in the shower for drying clothes,
but ours was broken. A hair dryer is provided, but there are no
electrical outlets.

In describing my cabin I would be remiss
if I did not mention the extremely disconcerting noise
from the engines. At times it was unbearable! (Imagine
a loud rock band with an extremely dissonant, heavy base playing
above your head constantly). I must admit, however, by the fourth day of
the cruise I had gotten used to it, and was able to sleep to the sounds
of our own private concert!

Now, move all the way forward in the ship
to Cabin #5204, occupied by friends in the travel
group. Although our cabins were similar, and within
the same category, they had a nice sofa and chair with a much larger sitting
area. They also had a thermostat control for their air-conditioning (we
had none). They also had 2 full shelves under the
length of the sink in the bathroom. At first glance
one might assume that their cabin was much nicer than
ours - well, looks can be deceiving! While a band performed in our
cabin, they encountered an unusual noise that was described as a
refrigerator being dropped from the upper deck and crashing through their
room to the bottom of the ship. Another member of our group in Cabin
#5000 equated the noise in their cabin as bowling
balls being released helter-skelter against the wall
of the cabin. While our aft cabin provided a gentle
sway, those in the very forward of the ship were subjected to a
nauseous pitch, drop, and roll as the ship cut through waves.

Another traveling companion in our group
was in Cabin #5058 (more mid-ship) and experienced no
noise or movement. Her cabin, in fact, was quite
pleasant and well furnished. A fact that adds credence to my comment
that cabin selection is all important on the Norwegian Wind.

I will start my tour on Deck 7 and move upward, as there only staterooms
on Decks 4-6. Promenade Deck (7) is the location of the jogging track.
The enclosed promenade circles the ship. At its center
is a small, but attractive pastel lobby where guest
relations, information and the shore excursion desk
are located. A number of staterooms complete the
configuration of this deck. It should be noted that although these
staterooms are considered oceanview, the enclosed promenade interrupts
the view, as well as the privacy in these cabins. Deck
8 is also just staterooms, so I will proceed to Deck
9.

Starting in the very aft of the
International Deck (9) is a small pool and lounging
area that can be reached only from outside stairs on Deck 10.
The interior aft is the location of 'The
Terraces' restaurant. Tables for
two to eight are attractively arranged on three tiers. This room was one
of the most attractive public rooms on the ship. Its
expanse of windows, overlooking the aft pool and
providing spectacular views of the ocean were a
compliment to the excellent food and service. Strolling forward on an open
corridor will take you through the card/game area, the
'Coffee Bar', and the 'Rendezvous
Martini Bar'. It is difficult to identify these
individual venues, as they all flow together along an
open deck. Windows along the exterior of the deck
provide continuous views of the ocean. This area was
quite popular, both during the day and evening, and it was often difficult
to find a seat. Tugged along the interior of
this corridor is the Internet Cafe and 'Le
Bistro'. The internet cafe has 6 terminals that
were in use quite frequently on this cruise. Cost is a
hefty $.75 per minute, or packages could be purchased,
which were still quite pricey compared to other cruise
lines services. As I knew I would be using the internet extensively, I
purchased the 250 minute package for $100. In addition to the cost
factor, the service was frequently down, consequently
when there was internet access there were often lines
of people waiting to use the computers. To accommodate
the internet cafe, the library was relocated, and presently is
nothing more than a check out desk and a few shelves of books along the
entrance to the internet cafe.

Continuing to move forward on Deck 9 the
sprawling 'Four Seasons'
restaurant can be found midship. When the Norwegian Wind underwent its
'stretching' this area was expanded.
Consequently, forward of the 'Four
Seasons' are more staterooms. A downside to
this stretching is the inaccessibility of these
cabins. Getting to the public rooms requires an
elevator ride to another floor, or the necessity of walking through the
'Four Seasons'. In addition to being an
inconvenience, this public thoroughfare somewhat
compromised the ambiance of the restaurant.

Deck 10, Star Deck, comprised the bulk of
the rest of the public rooms. Again starting aft, The
Galleria, a small banquette of shops, lined both the
port and starboard side of the ship. The Photo Gallery was on the port
side of the shopping galleria. Open corridors on both sides, like the one
found on Deck 9, led from the shops to the other public rooms. Directly
forward of the Photo Gallery was 'Lucky's
Bar', which led into 'Dazzles
Disco'. A number of sofas and chairs arranged
in conversational sitting areas lined the exterior of
the walkways on both sides of the ship. The bar and
dance floor for both 'Lucky's'
and 'Dazzles' was in the
center of these two walkways. There was a definite
design flaw in this concept. Due to the public access,
listening to the talented duo performing near the dance
floor, while you were seated on the other side of the walkway, was
somewhat disconcerting. The other problem with the
design had to do with noise distortion. Although there
was a wall that separated 'Lucky's'
and 'Dazzles', the open
walkway on both sides allowed music from one venue to
flow into the other. Very distracting to say the least.

Forward of 'Dazzles'
was the bi-level Monte Carlo Casino. Due to laws in
Hawaii, however, NCL was required to completely remove the casino for the
Hawaiian itinerary. Presently the space is being used to showcase the
various works of art that are part of the on board art auction. In my
opinion, they could have used this space to much better advantage, as
say, perhaps, another dining location to enhance the
freestyle dining concept. Walking through the casino
will take you to the entrance of the Stardust Lounge.
This bi-level theater is the location of all major productions.
Seating is tiered to provide good sight lines from any seat. There are a
few poles that obstruct the view of some of the rear seats, but overall a
well designed theater. There is a small cluster of cabins forward of the
Stardust Lounge, and they suffer the same fate as the forward passengers
on Deck 9. Due to the stretching midship, their most
direct access to the rest of the ship is through the
Stardust Lounge. Often, when a show is in progress
that egress is unavailable to them, thus the saying, 'You
can't get there from here'
is apropos.

As we work our way upward we find
ourselves on Deck 11, the Sun Deck. The Italian
restaurant, 'Trattoria', is
located at the very aft of the ship. It, like
'The Terraces', is tiered
with wide expanses of glass to provide views of the
ocean. For some reason, however, it does not exude the
same pleasant ambiance as 'The Terraces'.
The Kid's Corner and conference
rooms round out the interior of this deck. The Kid's
Corner was not very large, but as there were very few
children on board, provided ample space for them to
enjoy very personalized service by the capable, and energetic
youth staff. Every time I had an opportunity to observe, the children and
staff were engrossed in participatory activities that were being enjoyed
by all.

Strolling forward will lead you to the
open deck where the main pool is located. Topsiders
Bar, and the Cafe/Pizzeria are tucked at one end of the
pool, while cafe tables and chairs line its periphery. The Cafe/Pizzeria
was the place to grab a quick cup of coffee or tea
early in the morning. The deck space adjacent to this
pool is also the location of the popular luncheon BBQ
and can get very congested. Lines form early, and can be long.
It is definitely not an ideal spot for a relaxing swim, but a great spot
for people watching. You must traverse a flight of
stairs to get to the other side of the deck where a
wet bar, with two small pools entice you to cool off
as you sit at the swim-up bar. An open deck leads to a tiered lounging
area esconsed by two canopied hot tubs. Technically these are part of
Deck 12, but one space flows into the other without a
discernible difference. It is also the place where I
could be found on any given day, basking in the sun.
Between the hot tubs, is the Ice Cream Parlor that was open each
afternoon. Be forewarned, however, that lines to get ice cream often
wrapped around the deck, even before they opened at 2:00. Having the
perfect opportunity to watch this phenomenon daily from my lounge chair,
might I suggest waiting until about 3:00-3:30, when lines seemed to
dissipate. Forward of the hot tubs was
'Champs', another outdoor
bar, as well as the Mandara Spa, and fitness center.
The fitness center, although open 24 hours, was not
overly impressive. There were 5 stationary bikes, treadmills,
and stairmasters of relatively standard quality in this small facility.
On this cruise, it was seldom crowded, and many of the
on board exercise classes were held in different
locations on the ship.

The versatile, multi-purpose Observatory
Lounge completed the forward section of Deck 12.
During the day, its floor to ceiling windows provided
an excellent sea view, whether you were enjoying enrichment lectures, health
and wellness seminars, afternoon dancing, or a private gathering. From
5:30 - 7:30 each evening, the lounge was transformed
into a sushi bar, where many enjoyed the Pacific Rim
Buffet. At 7:30 the Oriental decor was removed, to
make way for the entertainment planned there each evening. On
any given evening the lounge could be a comedy cabaret, the location of
the 50's/60's
sock hop, or a game show. And when not being used for these
entertainment venues, a very talented piano player provided easy
listening, and dance music.

An open sun deck leads from the forward
Observatory lounge forward, passed the pool areas,
ending at the Sports Bar & Grill aft. Breakfast, lunch
and dinner buffets were all served here. It is not a very large space
and serving lines can become very congested. A small island within the
main serving area creates much of the problem, as the
space is it not well geared for two lines of traffic
moving simultaneously. The one beverage station for
coffee, tea, milk, and water is at the end of the buffet line. This
makes getting a quick cup of coffee, or refills very difficult. You must
either wait through the entire buffet line, or 'cut'
into line. Neither option is pleasant. Perhaps my
biggest complaint about this space is how it is
utilized. As the name implies it is also the Sports Bar. There are a
number of TV's situated throughout the room,
and was the designated location for watching football
and baseball games via satellite. For those of us who
are avid sports fans, October is a very important month in the sports
calendar. Being that the Sports Bar and Grill was also a major dining
venue, it was not conducive for relaxing and enjoying a sporting event.
Not only was the ambiance of a sports bar missing from
the equation, but I never felt very comfortable
sitting at a table watching a game, when there were
scores of people, trays in hand, searching for a place to sit and eat.
Basketball and volleyball courts could be found on Sky Deck 13, the
uppermost deck on the ship.

Food and Dining:
As part of the NCL fleet, the Norwegian Wind provides freestyle dining.
There are no fixed dining times, or seating. On the Wind there are a
number of dining options from which to choose. You
determine, when, where, and with whom you would like
to eat. From my perspective there are both pros and
cons to this concept, which I will elaborate on further in the review.
But, first let me share the options.

The impressive 'Terraces'
was one of the two main restaurants, and also my
favorite. 'The Terraces'
emanates a sense of grandeur. It was elegant, yet
inviting. The terraced dining area provided breathtaking ocean views
from every table. The wait staff was professional and attentive, while
maintaining a friendly and upbeat attitude. The quality of the food
matched the excellent service. Having sampled the
cuisine and service in this restaurant for all three
meals at some point in the cruise, I can highly
recommend 'The Terraces' as
a dining pleasure. Full breakfasts (from 8-10 am),
lunches (12-2 pm), and dinners (6-10 pm) could be enjoyed daily, at
your leisure, with no reservations.

The 'Four
Seasons' is the other main restaurant on board the
Wind. The large restaurant with its low ceilings did
not exude the same elegance or charm of
'The Terraces'. The decor
and furnishings were derivative of 'convention
dining', which did not appeal to me personally. I
found the food and service to not be of the same
quality as 'The Terraces',
but I am all about ambiance, so that may have
'colored' my opinion. Lunch
and dinner menus are the same as 'The
Terraces'. A full breakfast buffet, with eggs
cooked to order, is served here daily from 7:30-9:30 am.

The 'Trattoria'
is the Italian restaurant on the Wind. I have already
mentioned that its physical layout is similar to 'The
Terraces' with its tiered
dining levels and expanse of windows. The staff at this restaurant
did not appear to be as attentive, or friendly as 'The
Terraces', but in fairness,
we chose to eat here only once, so I may not have given it a fair
test. Cleveland, Ohio is an area that has a high concentration of
Italians, and consequently, I have had the pleasure of
dining in some of the best Italian restaurants in the
country. Unfortunately, this was not one of them. Food
was good, but not exceptional. The menu was somewhat limited
and remained the same throughout the cruise.

'Le Bistro',
the Specialty restaurant, requires a $10 cover charge, and
reservations are recommended (However, they did not appear necessary on
this sailing). This intimate, refined restaurant, with
its pleasing ambiance, would definitely have been my
favorite, if I had not already given that honor to
'The Terraces'. The decor
and menu were both very cosmopolitan. Service was
impeccable. As we chose to dine here on three separate
occasions, it is obvious that, for us, the cover charge was well worth the
experience.

I ate many quick meals at The
'Sports Bar & Grill'. As I
have already described this venue, I will just share
that I found the food to be typical of most cruise
line buffets. At breakfast, there was a wide assortment of
prepared foods, and waffles could be ordered. A bread station provided
bagels, toast, and English muffins. At lunch the bread station usually
became an Asian fusion station, and soups replaced the waffle station.
The standard luncheon options, including burgers, hot
dogs, and fries were always available.
Rounding out the dining options was a luncheon
BBQ, prepared poolside, providing a choice of chicken,
ribs, or fish, as well as salads, and usually corn on
the cob. This was a very popular venue, and lines at times were
quite extensive. At lunch, if you wished to remain outdoors, and the
luncheon BBQ did not appeal, pizza was served in the pizzeria, adjacent
to the BBQ area. The 'Observatory
Lounge' offered a nightly Pacific Rim Buffet
for sushi aficionados. If you were still hungry in the evening, hot and
cold canapes were served from 11:30 - 12:30 in the lounges. Add to this,
24 hour room service, and there is certainly no way
anyone could complain that they did not have enough to
eat on this cruise.

The Cruise:
When we left Honolulu at 8:00 pm Friday night, I had no idea I was in
store for the longest cruise to nowhere I had ever taken. It was also,
without a doubt, the most interesting cruise for studying human nature I
have encountered. An entire course in psychology could have been taught
by simply observing the passengers on this cruise. I
discovered the world really is divided into two
distinct types of personalities. Those that see the
'glass as half-empty' and
those that see the 'glass as half-full'.
I most definitely belong to the latter group, and
consequently my review of the cruise will reflect that
philosophy.

Due to the nature of the cruise, and the
events that transpired, I will digress from my usual
review format of journal entries detailing each day
and provide an essay of the experience as a whole.

Settling into my cabin to read the Welcome
Aboard 'Freestyle Daily', I
became aware of the first surprise of the cruise. The itinerary had been
changed at the last minute. The days of our scheduled stops in Kauai,
Maui, and Kona had all been changed. Now, being a very organized person,
I had planned ahead reserving cars in each port before
leaving home. I made some hasty phone calls
(fortunately calls in Hawaii are included in my cell
phone basic plan) and succeeded in changing my reservations. Based on the
information in the 'Freestyle Daily',
I canceled my car reservation in Kauai all together,
as our time in port had been abbreviated and we were to be
back on board by 2:30 pm. Being a beach person (and having just been on
another cruise to the Hawaiian Islands in February), I had originally
planned to go to Poipu Beach. With the shortened time in port, I opted to
find a beach located closer to the port. This, however, as you will see,
would prove to be another logistical mistake. Believing I had made all
the necessary land arrangements to optimize my shore
time, I headed for a lounge chair to relax and enjoy
the rest of my first day.

As a side note: Although itinerary changes
made at the discretion of the cruise lines is part of
the fine print, and always a possibility, I believe
NCL was remiss by not accepting responsibility for notifying passengers of
this change. When disgruntled passengers complained, staff on board the
Wind passed the blame onto travel agents who should have notified their
clients of the change. I take issue with this excuse on two fronts.
First, many of the passengers had booked their cruise
with online agencies and had no travel agent resources
on which to rely (This, by the way, is a whole other
issue that speaks to the importance of booking through a reputable
agent). Second, I AM a travel agent, and checked directly with NCL 2 days
before sailing with regard to itinerary. At that time, NCL
representatives were not aware of any changes in
schedule. (If they were not knowledgeable of the
change - travel agents were left as uninformed as the general
public).

After enjoying the Welcome Aboard buffet
in the 'Sports Bar and Grill',
and a few hours in the sun, it was time to locate my roommate and make my
mandatory appearance at the lifeboat drill. We then headed back to our
cabin and prepared for the evening. Make sure you pack an overnight bag
with a change of clothes and personal grooming items, as luggage is
rarely delivered to your cabin before dinner.
We met the others in our travel professional group at a cocktail party
at 'Lucky's Lounge',
then enjoyed our first dinner at 'The Four Seasons'.
Lively conversation, and the opportunity to enjoy the company of new
friends caused us to linger over dinner and
consequently, we missed the 'Welcome
Aboard Show'. With new friends in tow, and not
ready to end our first evening, we headed for
'Dazzles Disco' and
practically had the place to ourselves. The entire
ship was quiet that night, but our small group of
revelers managed to keep entertained.

Waking early Saturday morning to a
glorious sunny day, I headed for the jogging track and
enjoyed my daily power walk in total solitude. I enjoyed
a tasty breakfast buffet at the 'Sports Bar and
Grill' and anticipated a
delightful beach break in Nawiliwili, Kauai. Having canceled the rental
car, my friends and I debarked the ship to catch a cab to the Marriott.
This hotel is actually within walking distance, if you are so inclined,
but one of my traveling companions was unable to walk
long distances - thus the need for a taxi. Well, this
was another of our slight miscalculations. There were
no cabs! The Norwegian Star was also in port and the small fleet
of cabs available was insufficient to meet the demand. What makes this
tactical error even more comedic, is, that morning, 'the
powers that be' on the Wind
extended out time in port. (Which would have allowed time to enjoy
our original Poipu Beach plans - Had we not canceled our car
reservation!) Eventually we did snag a cab and headed
for the beach.

Now if you are to garner any knowledge
from this review, learn from my mistakes. The beach is
directly behind the Anchor Cove shopping area, and
they provide continuous free shuttle service to and from the pier. We used
the service for the return trip to the ship. The Marriott beach is a
nice, albeit small, stretch of sand and Duke's
(yes, part of the chain) is a great spot for a
refreshing cocktail, or light lunch. It is very picturesque and
great for people watching. Rental of water sports equipment and gear is
also available for a nominal fee.

As a side note, Kauai is a lush, beautiful
island that has such dense vegetation, the many remote
locations are best viewed by a scenic helicopter tour.
This is the only way to see portions of the island that are virtually
impenetrable. From its black sand beaches, to Waimea Canyon in the
outback, appreciating the awesome beauty of this
tropical retreat requires a sense of adventure and a
willingness to explore. Unfortunately, most cruise ships do
not stay in port long enough for one to do much more than scratch the
surface of what it has to offer. As the
Norwegian Wind set sail for Fanning Island, we cleaned up and met
others of our group for the Captain's Welcome
Party. This was the first of two optional formal
nights.

Part of the appeal of Freestyle Dining is
the option of dressing formally for dinner.
Personally, I love to dress for dinner, and although
there were many others on board that had also elected
for formal attire, this is one aspect of the freestyle experience that does
not appeal to me. As everyone in our group had chosen formal attire, we
opted to eat at 'Le Bistro',
the Wind's specialty restaurant. Although
reservations are recommended, on this night they were not necessary, and
we were seated immediately upon arrival. Actually,
dining here on any night of our cruise would not have
required reservations. I do not know if that is
typical of most sailings, or unique to the passenger profile on board this
particular cruise. Service was excellent and the food was very good. Be
aware, however, that food at this restaurant tends to be prepared on the
well done side. If you like your steak medium rare, as I do - order it
rare. This advise held true for the three times we ate here during the
course of the cruise. The Seabass, on the other hand, got rave reviews
and was prepared perfectly.
This evening we managed to make the show and enjoyed a skillful
performance of 'Jump, Jive & Wail!'
by the lively Jean Ann Ryan Dance Company. Having
risen so early, I was exhausted (as well as my body still
experiencing time zone adjustments) and chose to retire after the show,
leaving my traveling companions to once again close the disco.

Sunday was the first of our days at sea as
we headed for our 2 day trek (or so we thought) to
Fanning Island. Another beautiful day in paradise, and
I was ready to spend the day baking in the sun. The clientele aboard
this particular sailing was quite unusual, as to which I have already
eluded. Perhaps the fact that I was one of very few bodies that occupied
a lounge chair on the pool deck throughout the course
of the trip, is a prime example of the atypical
cruiser aboard the ship. Most spent the entire day
inside playing board and card games (In fact, in order to make my way to the
internet cafe to check e-mail during my occasional sun breaks, I had to
weave my way through a myriad of people that seemed to occupy every bit
of available inside space on Deck 9).

About halfway through the day, Captain
Lindrupsen made an announcement that due to an
emergency medical evacuation, we would need to turn around
and head back to Kona. Well, so much for my car reservations that I had
painstakingly rescheduled!! Once again I headed for the internet cafe to
make quick revisions and requests, only to find that the service was
down.

Nothing to do but relax, enjoy the rest of
day's sun, and have a cocktail
(It was 'happy hour'
after all). Right before dinner I was able to use the
internet service and made the necessary changes to my car reservations. Oh
wait!! Just as I entered the cabin to inform my roommate that I had
successfully changed our reservations - The Captain announced that due to
port schedules, we would be unable to dock in Kona the next day, but
would be going to Hilo instead. At that point I gave
up!! All we could do was laugh and decided that I
would revisit the internet cafe and just cancel all
reservations - we would make no plans for the rest of the trip, just
enjoy whatever came our way!

Unfortunately, this was not the attitude
of many of the people on board. The mood and demeanor
of the passengers turned very ugly and like a virus,
the negativity spread. I do understand the frustration and disappointment
of many of the passengers. If this were my first (and possibly only) trip
to Hawaii I would not be thrilled with the itinerary
changes and the need to cancel visiting Kona all
together. On the other hand, I couldn't help but
think that the medical emergency that caused this unforeseen set of
circumstances was not just an inconvenience, but someone's
life. It was certainly not the fault of NCL, but even
with the goodwill gesture of offering guests a $50 per
person on board credit, passengers on board were
unhappy and quick to complain profusely!

We did not arrive in Hilo until about 2:00
pm on Monday, and were scheduled to leave at 8:00.
Weather was typical of Hilo, overcast with the
possibility of a shower. Visiting Volcano National Park, and Akaka and
Rainbow Falls are the highlights of this stop, but, having just done that
a few months ago on my last visit, I chose to pass on
these activities. Consequently, we chose to catch a
cab and spend some time downtown. I was not impressed!
Hilo is much like Anytown, USA. There is no Hawaiian charm,
or quaintness to this port.

A visit to the Observatory Lounge to feast
on the Pacific Rim buffet (i.e. sushi bar) and the
entertainment of comedian, Peter Sasso, awaited me
upon my return to the ship. Now, for those of you who enjoy sushi,
apparently this was a great taste treat. Being a Midwestern, meat and
potatoes gal, this was not my favorite meal. However, one of the great
things about cruising is the opportunity to try things that are new and
different to you. Well, now I can cross that off my list of
'Try it, you might like it'
things to do. We did enjoy this food venue one other time
on the cruise (some of my traveling companions would have happily dined
here nightly), but that night they also offered a
Chinese buffet that was quite to my liking. The
comedian left something to be desired, certainly not
quite as good as the entertainment of the Hawaiian Cowboy, Wes Epae, the
night before. We finished off the night
in 'Dazzles Disco'
(Surprise! Surprise!). By this point in the cruise, we
felt like we were at 'Cheers'
(You know, where everybody knows your name, and
everybody has their own seat at the bar).

The disco on this particular cruise was
virtually empty every night (remember, I told you this
was an interesting mix of people), but we had great
fun, nonetheless, and got to really know many of the staff. Duane, the
DJ, was exceptionally personable, and the enigmatic smiles, and pleasant
personalities of the bar staff were a welcome respite from the negativity
that ran rampant on this cruise. At this point, it is probably good to
mention that even though I did close the disco frequently during this
cruise, it closed between 1:00 and 1:30 am every evening (Much different
than most of the cruises I have been on of late). This is not a cruise
for late night revelers!

We are now in our endless days at sea
portion of the trip, with one day going by pretty much
like the next. I love days at sea, however, so I was
in my glory! My morning was spent at the first our travel seminars, which
proved to be both helpful and informative. By noon, however, I was once
again enjoying another fabulous day of sun and relaxation on the pool
deck. Suspended in a state of euphoria, I was in
heaven. On this night we tried 'The Terraces'
for the first time, and the excellent service and outstanding
quality of the food made it my favorite choice for dining. A 50's
& 60's sock hop, and a
hypnotist were the activities planned for the evening.
These events were very well attended and kept many of the passengers
entertained. Weather was a bit unsettled
on our Wednesday at sea, but the jacuzzi is always a
great place to hang when the sun isn't shining. The
hot tubs were kept at a pleasant temperature (not
really hot), which allowed for hours of relaxing and
meeting new people. This unplanned respite from the sun was
greatly appreciated by my body, however, as I had gotten a touch too much
sun the day before. The Jean Ann Ryan Company performed
"Forever Fame" that evening
with their typical exuberant and vibrant style. This high
energy troupe is quite talented and always a treat.

Thursday, day 7 of the cruise, and we had
finally made it to Fanning Island, part of the
Republic of Kiribati, located about halfway between
Hawaii and Tahiti. The island itself is a classic circular coral atoll
ringed with palm trees. As the island's only harbor is situated within a
barrier reef, we tendered off shore. Most of the passengers were anxious
to grab a tender and spend time on land. Tender
tickets were distributed that morning, and as there
was a long line to garner a ticket, we chose to wait
until the crowds diminished and open tenders were called. Well, once again,
one of our tactical errors! It seems that one of only two tenders that
were being used to transport passengers broke, and was not replaced by
another (definitely a mistake on the Wind's part). Consequently,
disembarking passengers became a lengthy process, and by 1:00 pm we were
still not off the ship. As there was still a long line of guests waiting
for a tender, and not knowing what the return
situation would be like, rather than waiting in line
interminably, we decided to forego Fanning Island, and
just enjoy the quiet on board.

Speaking to others in our group that did
make the trek, Fanning Island got mixed reviews.
Fanning Island is much like any of the cruise lines
private islands with a nice beach area and an island BBQ buffet lunch. Some
of our group found the beach to be quite lovely, while others were
unimpressed. Some rented bikes for $10 an hour, and had a pleasant ride
around the village, where they were greeted by friendly and unassuming
islanders. Yet others found the island to be tawdry, and felt we had
missed nothing by remaining on board. On my next trip
to Fanning Island, I promise to get off the ship, and
judge for myself.

That evening, our entertainment was
provided by Matagi, the Polynesian cast that sailed
with us. The "South Pacific Revue"
took passengers on a journey of the Pacific Islands
through music and dance. The young cast of this
authentic replication also provided hula lessons, taught us the art of
pareo tying, and helped the Hawaiian Ambassadress, June, with her daily
Hawaiian arts and crafts during our cruise. A compliment to this engaging
group of entertainers was the very knowledgeable expert, Kale Kumapac,
who provided a number of enrichment lectures on
Hawaiian history. Add to that mix the easy listening
sounds of Robbie Kaholokula on Hawaiian guitar and
passengers were offered a full range of Hawaiian experiences.

It is here that I must digress to inject a
side note regarding the passengers on board. Many of
the passengers expected this to be a theme cruise, and
complained frequently that there was not enough Hawaiian
atmosphere on board. At the same time there was another large contingency
of passengers that complained just as loudly that they wanted less
Hawaiian ambiance. They had expected the
"Caribbean Cruise"
atmosphere on board and were disappointed that a
calypso band wasn't on board. Knowing what you
want on a cruise, and what to expect from a cruise are two all important
issues that must be addressed before one gets on board - not after the
ship has sailed! After
the revue, a number of our group headed for the "Coffee
Bar", to delight in the
sounds of Dixieland classics performed by the Norwegian Wind
Showband. As usual, our evening ended with a nightcap at
"Dazzles Disco".

By now my days were settling into a
familiar pattern of the requisite morning power walk,
a filling breakfast, and preparation for another day of
lounging in the sun. My routine was broken up on this particular day by
the second of our Seminars at Sea scheduled for the
afternoon. This session was even more beneficial than
the first, and gave me a wealth of information that I
would be able to use once I returned to the world of work.

This was my second night to dine at the
"Terraces", and once again
the service and quality of food did not disappoint.
Entertainment on this Friday at sea left a bit to be
desired. In deference to the hard working cruise
director, Steve, and his staff, this was an unavoidable result of our
itinerary changes. You see, our entertainers missed the boat, so to
speak. They were to board the ship in Kona, the port
stop that was canceled. So, the cruise staff scrambled
to develop alternative forms of entertainment to
replace them. That evening, Steve enlisted the help of the assistant cruise
director Dennis, the hotel director Scott, comedian Milt Abel, and
juggler Peter Sasso and presented us with a rendition
of the game show, "Liars
Club". This was followed by a Country Hoedown Party.
Neither of these activities appealed to me, so I chose
to excuse myself from the evenings festivities.
Saturday, day 9 of the cruise, and we were once again at sea. (By now
you should understand what I meant at the onset of this review about
being my longest cruise to nowhere). Awaking to
another perfect day to lounge in the sun, I must admit
my tan was developing quite nicely. I am sure my
dermatologist would have preferred I attend the skin repair seminar, or the
anti-aging skin care seminar being hosted the Mandara Spa, but I am a
"suntan addict" and not yet willing to kick the
habit. By now, I was in total relaxation mode, and the
troubles and worries of the "real world"
were a distant memory. Ah! Heaven!

This evening was the second of the
optional formal nights, and once again
"our group" made plans to
eat at Le Bistro. We did make reservations for this
evening, but as stated earlier, would not have been necessary.
Before dining at Le Bistro, however, we attended a social gathering of
our travel professionals group, for a photo op, and
final opportunity to network. After dinner a
rollicking production of "Sea Legs Circus at Sea"
was presented by the Jean Ann Ryan Company. As usual, their inimitable
style permeated this Broadway production show. We topped off the evening
with our usual visit to 'Dazzles',
followed by a good night's sleep to
prepare for our next day in Maui.

We arrived in Lahaina about 8:00 am, and
needed to clear US customs before we could venture
ashore by tender. The process went very smoothly, and
the tendering disaster of Fanning Island was not repeated. By 10:30 we
were on shore and ready to enjoy our day on land. Maui is definitely my
favorite of the Hawaiian islands. Lahaina is an eclectic mix of
waterfront restaurants and bars, chic clothing shops,
and art galleries. As it was Sunday, the craft fair
under the huge Banyon tree was in full swing,
beckoning us to admire (and purchase) local crafts and works of art. What
was once the whaling capital of the world, this quaint village has an
irresistible charm. We had planned to divide
our time between shopping and the beach, so we headed
for Ka'anapali Beach, just a few miles northwest of
Lahaina, which was a perfect spot to do both. If you
are so inclined, there is a Whaler's
Village shuttle that provides transportation from the pier for $1.00. As
we were anxious to get our day underway, however, we
chose not to wait and grabbed a cab. A beautiful
beach, with the backdrop of an avenue of fashionable
hotels, and oceanfront restaurants makes this a very popular
(and crowded) spot on Maui. Add to that the expansive Whaler's
Village shopping complex and one could spend their
entire vacation on this small strip of land.

After a wonderful afternoon on the beach,
and fulfilling my shopping needs, we headed back to
Lahaina for a quick stop at the Yacht Club, and
Cheeseburger in Paradise. This was definitely a wonderful way to end our
Hawaiian cruise, and I was sorry that our cruise was coming to an end.
Back on board at 7:00, we prepared for our final
night on the Wind. We chose to eat at
"The Terraces" and joined
others of our group for a wonderful meal at our
favorite restaurant. Once again, our lively dinner
conversation was so entertaining that we missed the final Variety Show. We
did manage to visit the photo gallery for one last look at group shots,
and final purchases. Although I am not fond of the
staged photographs, sometimes they capture just the
right moment that become treasured memories of new
friends, and acquaintances.

On the last night, perhaps the thing I
dislike most, other than the fact that it is the last
night of the cruise, is the necessary packing and
placing luggage outside your stateroom before retiring. It always seems to
interfere with the enjoyment of the final night. It is the first step
back into the real world.

Monday morning, October 7, we arrived in
Honolulu early, and was thankful that we had chosen to
spend 3 days in Honolulu before heading home. I could
linger in paradise just a bit longer! One of the very nice things
about a cruise on NCL is the final morning procedures. On most mainstream
cruises you are required to vacate your cabin very early, and must wait
in public a